The sports building where our Ruoholahti nursery is located, also houses an ice skating rink. We organise skating clubs for children from all our settings at least once every season. Parents can enroll their children to these for a small additional charge. These clubs are organised during nursery hours and children are escorted to and from the clubs by their educators. The nursery provides all the equipment necessary for ice-skating like helmets, iceskates and support frames. Attending the clubs is a great way for children to get introduced to ice skating. Ice-skating is a skill that can be very useful for children as they approach school, because school children in Finland regularly participate in ice-skating sessions.

Ice-skating sessions have not only introduced the children to ice-skating, they have been used by educators to promote different areas development. By gradually varying the level of challenges, educators help children build their confidence as they go further. Children support each other while acquiring new skills and this helps them develop team spirit and patience. Educators regularly plan out different activities for the ice-skating sessions, so that children’s learning in different areas can be extended through these sessions. To find out more about how we have used our ice-skating sessions please read the blog ice-skating with Ponies.